As we approached Falmouth, beach resorts and houses amidst lush forests came into view. We passed by a coral reef close to our port. When we moored, we spied the port center with rows of shops, craft markets and food stands.
As we left the ship, we heard lively reggae music as the band played. We admired the various crafts, many of which gave tribute to the Jamaica's African heritage. We stopped to admire brightly colored paintings and met the artist who had painted them! We took a snack break and savored a Jamaican beef patty - a treat I had been looking forward to since this summer. It was delicious! Savory beef enclosed in a slightly spicy yellow curry pastry. It was a generous serving and only $3 US dollars. I withstood the temptation to try the chicken patty as well.
After some time exploring, we left the port to explore Falmouth. We walked past the rows of
taxis and pedi-cabs offering us a tour of the island, determined to do a walking tour on our own as we have done at many other ports. However, in Falmouth that may have been a mistake. There were very few sidewalks and traffic was steady. Although the cars were cautious of pedestrians and gave use a wide berth, we were a little nervous because a fellow traveler had just been hit by a car just outside the port area. The police were still there when entered Falmouth. There wasn't a lot to see in the direction we headed, which was not a tourist area. The local people were friendly and greeted us as we walked along. We passed
by a fire station with a fire truck like I remember when I was young. Sadly, the area overall all seemed worn down without the polish and prosperity often seen in port towns benefitting from the tourist trade. Perhaps that is because most of the shops and craftstands we saw were inside the port itself rather than in the town.
We returned to the tourist area of the town and found Water Square. We located the fading yellow courthouse, an example of the Georgian architecture for which the area is known. It was built in 1817 and rebuilt in 1929 after it burned down in 1926.
We returned to the port area and looked around a bit more before heading back to the ship. Stay tuned tomorrow when I am at sea and will relate some of the fascinating history of Jamaica.
I love the bright colors! Sounds like good foods and sounds as well! Nice to explore by foot and get off the beaten path and see some of the more authentic parts - and to also support the locals with tourist dollars. Surprising how forested the island is!